Jackson Bentley

Jackson Bentley was an American journalist who covered the Arab Revolt of World War I and helped to make Lawrence of Arabia famous.

Biography
Jackson Bentley was a journalist from the Chicago Courtier, a syndicated newspaper that was famous across the United States. In 1916, he was sent to Arabia to drum up support at home for the United States entering World War I against the German Empire as well as the Ottoman Empire, and he spoke with King Faisal I of Iraq at first. Faisal brought him in touch with T.E. Lawrence, a British officer who was leading an army of 1,000 irregular Arab cavalry. Bentley wanted to make him a hero to make the war seem more "enjoyable" for the US soldiers in the conflict, although his coverage of Lawrence's first train raid was ruined when Auda abu Tayi destroyed his camera, saying it ruined his virtue. Bentley covered the Tafas massacre in October 1918 as well, although he was angered at the savagery that Lawrence showed in his decision to kill all 250 retreating Turks.